


The Daft and The Beautiful

by Pearlislove, YOLO1882



Series: The Daft and The Beautiful [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Police, Alternate Universe - Veterinarians, Awkward Romance, Don’t believe us? Check out her comment on chapter 1 of our story ;), Dorks in Love, F/F, First Date, Fluff and Angst, Human!Vastra, READ AND APPROVED BY NEVE MCINTOSH HERSELF!!!!, Rats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-01-18 15:37:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12391068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearlislove/pseuds/Pearlislove, https://archiveofourown.org/users/YOLO1882/pseuds/YOLO1882
Summary: The love story of Vastra McIntosh, Jenny Flint and a Lizard named Greeny.Sequel to Love at first Lizard





	1. The first date

**Author's Note:**

> Yep. Me and YOLO1882 is still going with this. Dunno what thus say about us...but enjoy, I guess!
> 
> Yolo1882 here, you ungrateful little shits better enjoy this or else, because we worked our asses off writing this!

After hours of dark clouds and cold relentless rain, the weather has finally given into a more favorable turn. Jenny tilted her head upwards, towards the rays of bright sunshine reaching down from the blue sky. She figured that it was a good omen of sorts if anything else. But even though it felt nice to bask her face in the tender warmth of the sun, Jenny couldn’t  help but feel extremely anxious where she stood.

 

After having set up a date with Vastra, Jenny had practically _jumped_ out of her chair, nearly knocking over her friend of the same name , but blonde,  as she was hurrying home so that she could change clothes and take a showe,r before heading to the Rosekettle Cafe and Tearoom. Using the address Vastra had given her, Jenny had soon arrived, terrified to arrive too late or in an unpresentable state.

 

But now that she was there, time was ticking and Vastra was yet to be seen. Jenny could already hear the little mocking voice in her head, telling her that Vastra was not going to show up, and that she was a fool for believing Vastra would be willing to date her. She was just about  to text Vastra and ask, despite her own doubts, when….

 

“Jenny!”

 

The Scottish woman called out Jenny’s name and waved as she walked across the street to approach her lovely date. Vastra felt that taking her motorcycle wasn’t necessary since the vet clinic where she left from was only a few blocks away; She also found it extremely difficult to contain her exuberant excitement while counting down the seconds towards her lunch date with Jenny, though she fortunately managed to slip past both John and Clara by telling them she was going to meet with an old friend. The clinic had been very busy during the day, and Vastra panicked internally when she realized that it was nearly thirty minutes past four, so she basically power walked her way to the Rosekettle Cafe and Tearoom as fast as she could. Vastra didn’t even have  the opportunity to make herself look presentable before the date, and now here  she was, dressed in a wool checkered sweater vest over a crisp long-sleeve collared shirt, form-fitting black slacks, practical leather shoes, her mane of dark brown hair still slightly damp and frizzy from the lingering moisture in the air, and her face thoroughly flushed with color.

 

“Please do forgive my tardiness, I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” said  Vastra rather breathlessly, her blue eyes pleading with guilt.

 

“Eh, oh,uh….it’s perfectly fine. I don’t mind.” Jenny swallowed, suddenly feeling quite flustered as she stared into the mesmerizing blue depths of Vastra’s eyes. Quickly passing from flustered to embarrassed, she desperately looked for anything to distract her, instantly taking notice of Vastra’s bandaged left hand. “What happened with your hand?!”

 

There was a pause as Vastra’s facial features stiffened and she briefly flicked her gaze down to her left hand.  

 

Noticing the concern written over Jenny’s face, Vastra smiled and quickly reassured her, “Oh, this….just the result of a minor mishap at work, that’s all. I was performing a surgery to remove a deadly  tumor from the heart of an English  terrier, and accidently cut myself with the scalpel.” She then attempted a lighthearted chuckle, despite the seriousness of the situation. “I’m fine though, so you shouldn’t worry about it.”

 

While everything that Vastra said was indeed true, she had also conveniently left out the reason that she made the rookie  mistake of cutting her hand with a scalpel, was because she was too distracted by thoughts of her impending date with Jenny.

 

“Oh my! That doesn’t sound nice at all!” Jenny shook her head in disbelief. “Better be more careful next time, yes?” She smiled.

 

Suddenly emboldened, there was a flirtatious tone in Vastra’s voice as she smoothly replied, “Well of course, I shall  try my best to do so….my hand and fingers are my most important _assets._ Especially when I’m entertaining the fairer sex of our species.” Vastra’s eyebrows  rose curiously as she examined Jenny’s outfit from head to toe.

 

Suddenly realising what Vastra was saying, Jenny blushed, her entire face turning the darkest possible shade of red. Nervously, she fiddled with the hem of her comfortable cream coloured blouse and staring down her pant leg to her blue sneakers. She wasn’t quite fond of cream as a colour, but this particular blouse was her favorite. Her pants were tight and grey and relatively easy to move in. All in all, she had just wanted to look good, but still be able to arrest someone if necessary.

 

“Uh...I think we should go inside now. Don’t you agree?” Jenny suggested quietly, not used to receiving this much  attention before.

 

“Mmm yes, for I am ever so hungry right now,” spoke Vastra truthfully while bringing her gaze back up to look directly at Jenny’s warm brown eyes. “But first, allow me to say that you are quite a stunning vision  this evening.”

 

“Oh, thank you. That is most kind of you.” Jenny smiled, honestly flattered by Vastra’s kind comment. It was not often she dressed for anyone else than herself and her own comfort, and it was nice to have someone to notice when she did.

 

Vastra smiled back at her, seemingly captivated by the happy glow of Jenny’s countenance. However, her expression faltered when she suddenly remembered something and said, “Furthermore, I must thank you again for the lovely flowers you gave me. I’m terribly sorry that I forgot to bring a gift in return for your kindness.”

 

Far from being a completely hopeless romantic at heart, Vastra nonetheless  wanted to start their courtship on the right foot and make the date special for Jenny.  She mentally kicked herself for failing to fulfill the most basic custom of bringing a gift on the first date. A sense of shame washed over Vastra and she lowered her eyes in anticipation of Jenny’s  disappointment.

 

“Oh, but it is fine. I do not need anything, and you shouldn’t feel obligated to give me anything either.” Jenny smiled, her cheeks heating as she thought of Vastra bringing her gifts. It sounded heavenly, but she would never expect her to do anything of the sort. “ Having you here is already more than enough. So let’s just go inside, shall we?”

 

Vastra instantly perked up upon hearing that and nodded, before approaching the door to hold it open for Jenny. “The Rosekettle is one of my most favorite eating establishments, and I look forward to hearing your review of it.”

 

“I’m sure it’ll be delightful. I’ve never been here before, but I trust your judgement.” Resisting the urge to curtsey as Vastra opened the door for her, Jenny walked inside with Vastra following suit behind.

 

Once inside, they were immediately greeted by the breathtakingly gorgeous ambiance of the building’s interior space. The walls were covered under light pastel yellow wallpaper with an intricate floral design, along which multiple framed antique paintings were hung. There were also various other precious historical relics set up on display throughout the place. The main crown jewel of the Rosekettle was the massive and grand crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling above the dining patrons. Located near the right back corner was a staircase that led up to the second floor which held some extra private rooms. Male servers appeared to be freshly groomed and wore the same neatly tailored suits, while their female counterparts adorned dresses and aprons; Both are seemingly highly disciplined as they went around carrying silver platters, taking orders, listening to customer complaints, etc. A peculiar, but not entirely unpleasant scent filled the air, containing strong hints of vanilla and spices. Indeed, everything about the _Rosekettle Cafe and Tearoom_ definitely evoked a distinctively sophisticated and  enchanting Victorian theme that transports people back in time within its walls.

 

“So….what do you think of it, Jenny?” Vastra asked tentatively as she slowly ran her uninjured hand through her hair. “Will this be a suitable enough venue for our first official date?”

 

“Yes, I...I should think so.” Jenny stared in awe at the luxurious interior of the cafe, her eyes moving around the room and hungrily taking in everything she could see, smell and hear. It was absolutely amazing and quite a lot better than Jenny could ever consider herself worthy of. Once again, she felt floored by how far Vastra was willing to stretch for her sake, a weird tingling feeling spreading throughout her body and she smiled her biggest and brightest smile.

 

Vastra couldn’t help but spend several minutes just silently admiring Jenny’s childlike wonder as she looked around the room, which only made her even more beautiful in Vastra’s eyes. She then spotted an empty table amongst the  bustling and tightly packed restaurant, wasting no time in guiding Jenny over to it.  Once they reached the table, Vastra pulled out Jenny’s chair for her in a genuine gesture of chivalry, as she wanted her to be completely comfortable.  Their dining table was as elegant as the rest of the restaurant's decor, a circular shaped mahogany piece of wood draped in a thin white cloth with a yellow floral pattern border that matched the walls, and topped off with a marble angel candle holder centerpiece.

 

As she sat down, Jenny suddenly heard her stomach growling loudly. Embarrassed, Jenny smiled apologetically  at Vastra. “Sorry, I haven't eaten in awhile.” She explained, her stomach growling yet again as if to agree with her statement.

 

Vastra responded with a hearty laugh, and gestured to the menus in front of them saying, “It’s quite alright, my dear. Surely there must be something in these menus to satisfy your appetite.”

 

Thus with that, they both picked up their menus and began to peruse through the many options available.

 

“Hey there, tall, dark, and Scottish! Long time no see, eh?”

 

Suddenly as if from nowhere, a woman appeared beside their table dressed in a  maid’s uniform, indicating that she works in the Rosekettle. She wore a big smile as her eyes flickered in between Vastra and Jenny with utmost interest. Her abrupt manner of approaching them made it pretty clear that she and Vastra somehow knew each other.

 

The Scottish woman instantly looked up at her friend, and warmly spoke, “Ah, if it isn’t my favorite Victorian maidservant! It’s good to see you still working here, Bill.”

 

“Ha, they don’t pay me nearly enough to wear this ridiculously itchy outfit,”complained Bill while tugging at the rough lace collar of her dress. “But the bills won’t pay themselves, I guess.” Her attention soon fell upon the petite brunette sitting across from Vastra, prompting her to ask, “Well here’s a new face I’ve never seen before. You got a name, doll?”

 

A low sound resembling a growl emitted within Vastra’s throat as she became jealous of Bill’s  apparent forwardness with Jenny.  

 

Trying to ignore Vastra’s protective growling, Jenny smiled at Bill. “My name’s Jenny Flint. Nice to meet you.”  

 

“The pleasure’s all mine, Miss Jenny Flint,”replied Bill while attempting an awkward curtsey, as was customary in the Rosekettle. “So, what brings you two lovely ladies around to the Rosekettle on this fine evening?” Before either of them could answer that, however, Bill realized something and exclaimed, “Wait...don’t tell me....you guys are on a date here, aren’t you?”

 

Bill’s smile only grew wider to resemble the excited expression of a child on Christmas Day at the idea of her friend on a date.

 

“Ah, you’ve caught us,” groaned Vastra, raising her hands up in mock defeat. “You are absolutely correct, we are on a date together. Isn’t that right, Jenny?”

 

Although her initial jealousy had subsided somewhat, Vastra wanted nothing less than to show off the fact that was currently on a date with the most beautiful and amazing girl in the world.

 

“Uh, yeah. We’re on a date.” Jenny said, more than happy to admit that she and Vastra were trying to date. It, as always, felt a little nervous to admit, but she did it nonetheless. “Do you have a boyfriend, Bill?”She then asked politely, for conversation’s sake.

 

There was pause as Bill and Vastra discreetly shared a knowing glance before, much to Jenny’s surprise, bursting aloud into laughter at their own inside joke.

 

Bill laughed so hard that she had to wipe tears from her eyes, and then replied, “Nahh….I’m not really interested in the fellas, I’ve always only go for girls. Same as Vastra here.” She even emphasized her statement with a quick wink.

 

“Oh. Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed.” Jenny smiled apologetically, a little embarrassed that she’d been in the wrong.

 

Vastra immediately understood how difficult it would be for Jenny to accept the fact that there were other people who share her sexual orientation, considering her unpleasant religious upbringing. She wanted very badly to reach across the table to hold Jenny’s hand for comfort, but figured that it would be inappropriate. Instead, she had to settle with giving Jenny her most reassuring smile, which Jenny gladly returned.

 

Bill didn’t seem to mind a bit though, saying, “That’s alright, it’s just our luck living in an aggressively heteronormative society and it’s 2015! Heed my words, Jenny, we the lesbians are EVERYWHERE!” Bill’s eye’s grew wide and her face contorted into an expression of dramatic faux horror as she spoke. A firm jab in the ribs from Vastra caused her to sober up again though, and she sadly sighed, “Still….it must be nice to have someone who you can go on actual dates with. My girlfriend, Heather, is an astronaut which means she works in space, and I haven’t seen her since over a month ago! Oh, she has these most gorgeous eyes that shines like stars, the softest red brown hair, her lips I could kiss them all day long, and her boobs…”

 

An exasperated cough from Vastra cut Bill off in the middle of her speech. “That’s quite enough, Bill. We understand that you miss Heather and for that, you have our condolences, but I do believe we are ready to order now.” She then turned back toward Jenny to gently ask, “What do you desire to eat tonight, my dear?”

 

Bill, however, wasn’t too keen on being so rudely interrupted and huffed rather loudly, which Vastra chose to simply ignore.

 

“I think I’m going to have a meat pie and chips, please. What do you want Vastra?”

 

“Mmm….the roasted lamb chops sounds absolutely divine,” hummed Vastra delightedly, licking her lips with her tongue. “Also, I would like to request your best pot of green tea to go along with our meal.”

 

“Alright, and do you fancy any of our delicious desserts….,”Bill trailed off as her gaze fell upon Jenny and she grinned with an idea. “Or nevermind then, since it seems you already have something sweet to nibble on later.”

 

She winked again, eliciting an appalled gasp from Vastra, who then punched her on the arm.

 

Bill hastily scribbled everything onto a notepad before leaving to deliver their orders in the kitchen. “Sit tight then and I’ll be back as soon as possible!”

 

Once Bill was gone, Vastra and Jenny were essentially left to their own devices yet again, and began to partake in the complimentary basket of fresh biscuits on their table. They were both incredibly giddy and ecstatic, smiling from ear to ear like two crushing schoolgirls. Their date was going really well thus far, even if it still seemed so surreal and too good to be true. There was a slight tinge of awkwardness between them, though, as each found it hard to form sentences with the other’s presence in such close proximity. The main purpose of a date was to ask questions  and establish a connection, but neither Vastra nor Jenny spoke a single word due to their mutual nervousness.

 

Several minutes passed, and their silent standoff was suddenly broken by the sound of someone yelling, “BITCH THE POT!”

 

Jenny’s reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened in fear, and she was barely hold back a scream at the sudden, loud noise. “What the bloody hell was that?!” Jenny asked Vastra, still feeling a bit panicked over the unexpected noise.

 

In spite of herself, Vastra’s first reaction was to laugh, but not in a cruel or taunting manner. She really should have known that something like that would happen at some point during their date in the Rosekettle. The bewildered frown on Jenny’s face was more than enough to shut her up.

 

“Er, sorry about that….perhaps I should have warned you beforehand,” said Vastra sheepishly before continuing to explain, “I assure you that it’s nothing to be fearful of, but a common Victorian dialect meaning to pour the tea. The Roskettle is highly dedicated to preserving such historical customs from that era.” She then gestured with her hand toward another table on the other side where a server was pouring tea for some patrons, which was the source of the outcry.

 

Vastra wasn’t sure about Jenny, but she herself had always appreciated the Rosekettles’s efforts to create a perfectly authentic Victorian atmosphere, fascinated by the rich history that surrounded them.

 

“I see. That’s...nice.” While Jenny perhaps wasn’t very fond of that particular peculiarity, the whole place really was an astonishing piece of work, and a sight to behold.

 

“I realize, however, that it’s not exactly everybody's cup of tea, per se,” remarked Vastra jokingly, effectively smoothing things over.

 

Unfortunately, another extended period of silence befell the pair shortly afterward. Jenny was especially becoming more anxious with every passing minute, barely resisting the urge to bite her nails by sucking on her bottom lip instead. She had been waiting what felt like her entire life for this very moment, eating dinner with the woman of her dreams, only to risk boring her date to death if she doesn’t think of something to say...and fast!

 

“So, how was your day?” Jenny smiled hesitantly, feeling as awkward as she probably sounded.

 

Sparing yet another quick glance at her bandaged hand, Vastra answered, “Hectic, to say the least.” She chuckled mirthfully. “The clinic was a real zoo today, we were all very busy.  I found John trying to nap inside one of our supply closets.”

 

Jenny laughed. “Can’t say I blame him. I’ve done that too, on the worst days.”

 

Vastra mentally decided there and then, that Jenny’s laughter, so free and charming, was the absolute most  sweetest music she’d ever heard.

 

“Somedays I just want to knock myself out instead of dealing with him and the others,” said Vastra in a half serious tone, though it was clear that she’s only teasing. “Now enough about me, how was your day Jenny?”

 

“Oh, I had a very good day.” Jenny smiled. “A lot of paperwork, but Jenny came by and spent some time talking over tea and we had a lovely time.” Jenny smiled some more as she thought of her dear friend.

 

Vastra paused mid-tearing her biscuit, head tilted aside slightly, as an impish grin crept onto her face. “Hmm, well I certainly wasn't aware that you have an identical clone. How interesting.”

 

Jenny rolled her eyes at Vastra. “We’re hardly identical. She is taller, older and blonde. We’re friends, though, and she coached me when I started working at Scotland yard.”

 

“Then perhaps you should fight her, to assert your dominance as the alpha Jenny, “ suggested Vastra, who was seemingly on a roll.

 

“I don’t think that’s necessary. Besides, I doubt I’d win. Blonde Jenny did basic military training,” Jenny informed Vastra.

 

Vastra deflated somewhat when Jenny didn’t play along with her joke.  She didn’t let it show though as she said, “My sister, Lana, is also in the military. She’s part of the Scottish Guard infantry, the proud soldier of our family.”

 

“That’s nice. Lana is the one you were talking with on the phone when you were at my place, right?” Jenny asked, feeling a bit proud to have remembered the name of one of Vastra’s sisters.

 

“Yes, the very same bane of my existence indeed,” confirmed Vastra with a nostalgic twinkle in her eyes. “Just one out of six siblings, actually. My parents, they were quite…. _productive._ ” Vastra subtly waved her hand around.

 

Jenny laughed, smiling. “You tell me! I’m one of eight.”

 

An eyebrow raised, Vastra leaned forward a bit in her seat saying, “Really? Please, do care to elaborate if that’s alright with you.”

 

Vastra’s ears were already perked, suddenly hungry for all and any information Jenny was willing to feed her. Jenny was like an enigma to her, drawing her in with a mysterious pull that she couldn’t explain. Ever since they first met the clinic, her interest in Jenny had only continued to grow with each passing day.

 

Upon hearing Vastra’s question, Jenny’s smile faltered a little, but she nodded. “Yes, really. Three sisters, four brothers. I’m number four, but the other four weren’t far behind. My parents didn't really believe in limiting the gifts of God’s grace.” At this, she smiled a little more. It felt quite bittersweet to talk of her parents and siblings, old memories resurfacing in her mind and making her wonder what had happened to them since she’d been gone.

 

“I see….,” A strangely bitter taste filled Vastra’s mouth at the mention of Jenny’s parents, especially her homophobic father. The memory of Jenny crying in her arms was still fresh within her mind. Deciding that a change of subject would be best, Vastra asked, “Oh, how is Greeny doing? Still warm and happy  I hope?”

 

“Yes, absolutely! He _loves_ the mini bonsai tree that you gave him! I really should thank you for that one.” Thankful for the change of subject, Jenny could feel some honest happiness spreading through her body, a loving smile on her face.

 

The concerned veterinarian part of Vastra was most pleased to hear that, and she smiled. “There’s really no need, I was just glad that I could be of assistance to him. Though I reckon he must miss you terribly whenever you’re gone.”

 

Jenny nodded. “Yes. He does, unfortunately. Especially when I’m away at night. Just got to give him some extra attention when I come home.” Jenny smiled. She loved Greeny with all her heart, and would do anything to take care of him.

 

Never in a million years did Vastra expect that she  would actually be jealous of a goddamn _lizard_ , always being cuddled by Jenny and given lots of loving affection.

 

“That’s very good,” acknowledged Vastra with expertly approval. “It’s quite a shame you didn’t bring him along with you. Animals are often known for being great judges of character.”

 

“Hehe, yeah, I thought about it. Unfortunately, restaurants and cafes often rather dislike people bringing lizards with them when they come there.” Jenny apologised. “Maybe next time?”

 

“Yes, I’m sure he’ll be an excellent third wheel.” As soon as Vastra said that, Bill returned carrying a large silver platter loaded with food.

 

“OK whoooooo’s hungry,” announced Bill before carefully distributing their respective orders. “Here’s a meat pie and chips for Jenny….roasted lamb chops for Vastra….and a pot of piping hot green tea! Will you be needing any help with that tea?” She inquired with a mischievous smile.

 

Remembering Jenny’s earlier reaction, Vastra instantly locked eyes with Jenny in a silent and urgent question.

 

Sensing what Vastra wanted to know, Jenny silently shook her head. She’d been more than a little startled the first time she heard them scream that expression, and if she could avoid it a second time, she would.

 

Nodding, Vastra then turned back to Bill and said, “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. We are completely capable of doing that ourselves.”

 

“Ah gotcha….well you two have a wonderful dinner then, “Bill told them while gathering up her things. Unexpectedly, however, she leaned in toward Vastra’s ear and whispered, “Hey, just wanted to say that I’m super happy to see you dating again. Didn’t thought you had it in you anymore….after what happened with Brandie.”

 

That single name was all it took for Vastra’s entire world to stop spinning and her heart to shatter into a billion pieces. It unlocked something dark and grim that she had struggled to bury deep within her mind, which now came flooding back in full force; _Brandie_ ….her first true love, the one she lost, the ghost she will never forget. Vastra could feel herself threatening to slip into a vast black hole of agonizing despair. This couldn’t possibly be timed any worse than in the middle of her dinner date with Jenny, who’s she’s currently trying to woo.

 

It required every last ounce of willpower that Vastra possessed to not completely fall apart right there in front of Jenny. Inhaling a deep breath, she growled at Bill, “You’ve done quite enough, so just _leave_ already.”

 

Realizing that she had pushed the wrong button, Bill immediately pulled away and touched Vastra’s shoulder in apology as she left them alone together. Meanwhile, Vastra briefly closed her eyes in order to properly compose herself before picking up a knife and fork with trembling hands. She merely stared down at her plate of roasted lamb chops, her appetite having suddenly disappeared.

 

Jenny watched with concern as Vastra and Bill talked, seeing the darkness spreading in Vastra’s eyes. It was the kind of darkness that you could only see, if you yourself had known it. A deep, desperate pain caused by something you would never forget.

 

Carefully, Jenny reached out and touched one of Vastra’s hands. “Are you okay?” She asked quietly, attempting to make eye contact so that she could further communicate her intention.

 

That tender skin to skin contact snapped Vastra out of her stupor, and she looked at Jenny with foggy pale blue eyes.

 

“Sorry….I was simply thinking, that’s all,” spoke Vastra while trying to keep her voice steady. She also offered Jenny the most genuine smile that she could muster, absolutely determined to go forward with the date no matter what. “Let’s go ahead and eat, shall we?”

 

Jenny glaced at Vastra, still not entirely convinced, but nodded. “Very well…” Awkwardly, she started poking around in her chips, trying to think of something to say, but coming up blank.

 

Both women sensed a newfound tension between them, which was clearly the result of their initially pleasant mood having taken a turn in the opposite direction. Preoccupied with their own thoughts, they wordlessly prodded at their food, though neither seemed to be particularly enthusiastic about eating. With nothing but the background noises of chatting diners and soft orchestral music to fill the maddening silence, it was only a matter of time before one of them will crack.

 

Utterly exasperated with their current state of affairs, it was Vastra who finally spoke up, “So tell me, Jenny, what do you usually like to do in your free time?”

 

Vastra knew that it wouldn’t be fair to Jenny if she spent the whole night mourning over a past lover, which prompted her to push away all those dreary thoughts so that she could focus solely on making Jenny happy.  

 

Thankful for something to talk about, Jenny happily answered her question. “Well, I take care of Greeny, of course. Otherwise I enjoy reading, baking, knitting, Roller Skating and watching Doctor Who. Have you heard of that TV series? I mean, do you watch it?” Jenny lit up as always feeling happy to be thinking of Doctor Who.

 

“I’ve only seen every single episode ever since I was a child,”replied Vastra as her eyes regained their natural joyous gleam, smiling most indulgently. “An eccentric, gender-bending alien in a blue box travelling all across time and space. Definitely the most greatest piece of entertainment ever produced by humanity, don’t you think?”

 

“Absolutely!” Jenny agreed enthusiastically. “Nowadays I’ve seen all of it. Only ever catched the odd one here and there as a child, but it was enough.” She smiled dreamily, remembering those small moments of light in her otherwise bleak childhood.

 

“Splendid, and is there a certain Doctor who is your favorite?” Vastra inquired with curiosity, eagerly jumping on the chance to gush about her favorite show.

 

“Oh, I loved the fifth Doctor. Kind, considerate and pacifistic. The ultimate peacemaker, as The Doctor should be. You?” Jenny smiled.

 

Vastra leaned back in her chair and stroke her chin thoughtfully for a moment. “I suppose that it’s a tie between the fourth and ninth Doctors,” she concluded breezily. “I admire how spontaneous and witty the fourth Doctor can be. Nine is also witty and represents a rare darker side of the Doctor’s personality, which I find to be endlessly fascinating.”

 

“I don’t really like the 9th Doctor. He represents a darker side, as you said, and I dislike it. The same goes for the 7th Doctor, which I don’t like either. However, his run is still one the best, for his companion Ace is an amazing character. She defeats Daleks with a baseball bat and blows things up with homemade explosions, all while using The Doctor and the TARDIS as opportunity to flee her less ideal home life.” Jenny explained, slightly out of breath once she was done.

 

“I will concur that you are absolutely correct. I, too, rather enjoyed Ace as a companion,” said Vastra with an approving nod of her head. “However, it is Donna Noble who will always have a special place in my heart. She was a strong woman, full of sass, and she didn’t put up with any of the Doctor’s bullshit.” Vastra chuckled humorously before a heavy frown took over her face. “I still strongly believe that she deserved far better than what they did to her at the end.”

 

Jenny nodded sympathetically. “Yes, she absolutely did. Horrible, but it helped make a good end for Rose.”

 

Vastra, not being the biggest fan of Rose Tyler’s character, subtly raised a skeptical eyebrow and had to stifle a snort. She then opened her mouth to speak again, but was thwarted by her phone’s ringtone as it turned on in her pocket. Muttering a curse word or two under her breath, Vastra immediately pulled out her phone and and answered the call without looking at the caller ID.

 

“Whoever this is, you better have a _good damn_ reason, or I swear….,”she practically barked with an irritated edge to her tone.

 

“Hello Vastra!” The annoyingly peppy voice of John Smith answered on the other end. “How is your date going?”

 

An intense coughing fit wracked through Vastra’s body, and lasted for a few minutes before she recovered enough to speak. “John?! But….What….H-How did you possibly know that I have a date,” demanded Vastra, who did not recall saying a word to John or Clara regarding her plans that night. In fact, she had been so extremely careful as to not reveal anything, lest they should use it against her.

 

“Is Jenny there now, too? HELLO JENNY!” The voice of Clara suddenly joined the conversation, the both of them screaming into the speaker and  causing Vastra’s ear to bleed. “HOPE VASTRA IS BEING HOT AND SEXY FOR YOU! SHE MIGHT SCARE YOU AWAY BY EATING LIKE A WILD  ANIMAL THOUGH!”

 

Jenny only watched in mortified shock as Clara and John continued to scream into the speakers, not knowing if she should be most shocked about what they were saying, or the fact that they would actually do such a thing.

 

Unwilling to risk going deaf, Vastra held her phone away from her ear until the two of them ceased their excessive shouting. Face blazing red with both anger and embarrassment, she yelled back in response, “You two should be ashamed of yourselves, interrupting my private dinner and spouting  such utter bullshit! How did you even found out about it, anyway?”

 

John, however, ignored Vastra’s question. “So, how is it going then? Hope your not making a fool of yourself in front of Jenny. Oh and by the way, it’s not nice to offend your waitress. Just saying.”

 

“Oh really?” It all made perfect sense now. Vastra narrowed her eyes as  she caught sight of Bill within her peripheral vision, trying to act innocent while cleaning a nearby table. “Well if you truly must know, our date was  going very smoothly before _you_ ruined it!”

 

“Oh please, I’ve ruined nothing yet. If anyone will ruin it, it’ll be _you_.”John answered accusingly.

 

Noticing the confused and somewhat scandalized looks she was  attracting from the other patrons, Vastra carefully kept her voice low as she retorted, “Ha, you sound like you can see the future of my date and is doing me a favor by warning me!” She couldn’t believe the nerve of that crazy man, trying to blame her for his wrongdoings. “ What you’re saying is entirely preposterous, as I have everything under control. You, John, are the real date wrecker here!”

 

“Oh, _I_ am a date wrecker? And I who thought it was _you_  who always insisted you couldn’t manage a date! Self-sabotage is your forte, not mine, and poor little Jenny will see that soon enough! Don’t go blaming me for something you always say is your own problem anyway!”

 

“Well you know what? I’m utterly sick of all this nonsense,” declared Vastra with exactly zero ounce of patience left, and a vein threatening to burst out of her neck. “I didn’t ask you to call me like this, so I highly suggest that you grow the hell up, John! Don’t even think about bothering us again, or just you wait until I get my hands on your sorry ass tomorrow! Goodbye, John!”

 

Thus with that, Vastra quickly ended the call and dropped her phone onto the table with a thud. She slumped back in her chair, bringing one hand up to massage her aching temple as she closed her eyes. After mentally cursing the wretched weasel John using every sort of profanities imaginable, she slowly opened her eyes and was met with a piercing stare from Jenny.

 

Sighing heavily, Vastra leaned forward as her lips formed a small apologetic smile. “I’m so terribly sorry about that….whole….thing with John.” She bit her lip and briefly averted her gaze, too embarrassed to maintain eye contact. “He acts like such an immature, insufferable child sometimes, and gets his nose stuck in places it shouldn’t be! I’ll never forgive him for this, mark my words!”

 

Vastra could only hope that there was still a chance their date could be salvaged, despite all the commotion that John had caused.

 

“I see. Well, uh, it’s not exactly your fault is it? It’s his fault if he’s being bothersome...let’s just continue as if nothing happened, Yes?” Jenny smiled patiently, determined not to let anything spoil the date.

 

Vastra fervently thanked her lucky stars  and nodded in agreement. “Yes, I think that would be acceptable. I promise you that nothing else will happen to disrupt us tonight.”

 

“Wonderful.” Jenny smiled.

 

Vastra smiled in return, rather confident that no more mishaps will occur as they happily ate the rest of their food. She also volunteered to pour the tea for herself and Jenny, its warm soothing taste helping to put her nerves at ease. For the first time since they entered the restaurant, Vastra allowed herself to truly relax as she admired the gorgeous young woman sitting across from her. Vastra was a naturally keen observer whose eyes noted every single little detail about Jenny, how flawless her skin looked underneath the clear lighting, a few loose curls of dark hair escaping her ponytail to frame the sides of her face, the adorable way her nose wrinkled when itchy. Never in her entire life had she seen someone so incredibly exquisite as Jenny, who can make her heart flutter rapidly in her chest without even realizing it.  Vastra’s attention was soon drawn to Jenny’s mouth as she consumed another forkful of meat pie, her temptingly soft pink lips moving in slow motion while she chew, and Vastra could feel her body’s temperature rising.  Shifting nervously in her seat, Vastra instantly tore her gaze away from the remarkably sensual sight, and tried to focus on her lamb chops instead. Sweet merciful Sappho, the girl is simply too much for her to handle!

 

Looking up from meat pie to glance at Vastra, Jenny was once more struck by how remarkably beautiful she was. All the way from her dark hair and ocean blue eyes, to her lean, muscular body with the oh so attractive tattoos, every part of Vastra was in Jenny’s eyes utter perfection. Every time she looked at her, she longed to get closer. To ghost her fingers over her tattoos and feel the softness of Vastra’s hair. To wrap her arms around her waist and feel her soft lips pressing against her own in a gesture of passion and love. The mere thought of such intimate actions made her heart beat faster, her mind filled with joy just imagining what it would be like to have Vastra fulfill her deepest desires.

 

So there they were, completely absorbed inside their own little world as the loud and crowded restaurant around them seemed to fade away. Jenny and Vastra were more than content to simply marvel at each other with their eyes full of unspoken praises and confessions.  It went on like that for God knows how long, since the concept of time didn’t exist anymore between them.

 

A flash of movement caused Vastra to look up past Jenny’s head, and she saw Bill at the other side of the room, frantically waving her arms in the air while mouthing to Vastra that she should ‘quit gawking like a lovestruck idiot and get to smooching with Jenny’.

 

“The weather….it’s um….err quite annoying, isn’t it?” Vastra suddenly blurted out, internally groaning at how lame her question was. She just couldn’t think of anything more stimulating to talk about than the bloody English weather! When she saw Jenny’s bewildered expression, Vastra hastily explained, “Err, what I meant to say is that one minute, it’s perfectly sunny, but in the next it’s pouring like mad!”

 

Jenny smiled half-heartedly. “I guess? I mean, I’ve lived here all my life, so I’m pretty used to it… but maybe it’s different in Scotland?”

 

A wistful smile curled on Vastra’s lips at Jenny’s mentioning of Scotland, her beloved home country. “No, it’s actually rather the same back up North,” admitted Vastra while slowly shaking her head. “Though it compensates for it, of course, with it’s abundant natural wonders and uniquely beautiful landscape. Scotland beats England anyday, in my book, “ she added with a cheeky grin, her Scottish pride clearly audible in her thick accent.

 

“I see. Well, I wouldn't know. Don’t think I’ve ever been to Scotland, since we only traveled to see family.” She smiled a slightly bigger smile. “Though I’m half-Welsh on my mother’s side, actually, so I’ve been there. It's lovely.” Not nearly as lovely as Vastra, thought Jenny, but she would never say that aloud.

 

“Oh, you’re half-Welsh?” Vastra’s head cocked to the left as she regarded Jenny for a moment, and processed that new piece of information. “Yes….I suppose you do possess certain…..features that would support it.” Her smile was broad as she happily recalled, “In that case, I myself have also visited Wales….once, about five years ago, with John and few other friends from my university. Cardiff was a very charming city and the locals were all pleasant enough, even if their dialect was a bit hard to understand.”

 

Vastra chuckled mirthfully at the memory of how they had  tried to get directions from a Welsh native, and ended up wandering around the city for hours, utterly lost as blind mice.

 

Jenny laughed. “Oh, it’s horrible!Without my aunt we would have been entirely lost in that city! Not that it was all that easy to understand her, either. Thankfully my mom can translate.” She smiled, feeling humoured by the thought of Vastra’s stumbling around in Cardiff, completely, utterly lost.

 

“Hmm, can you speak in Welsh by any chance?” Inquired Vastra with one finely trimmed eyebrow raised. “My siblings and I were taught the historic language of our people, Scots Gaelic, from a very young age. Therefore by now, I am almost quite fluent in it.” There was an impish gleam in Vastra’s eyes when she said, “Tha beagan feòil agad a 'strì air do aghaidh, for example.”

 

“And what would that mean?” Jenny asked, smiling. “Sounds exciting.”

 

“It means….you have some meat stuck on your face,” Vastra replied, her cheeks starting to hurt from smiling so much.

 

Laughing, Jenny quickly picked up a napkin and wiped her face. “Oops, sorry.” She apologised, before smiling smugly. “Wel, nid wyf yn siarad Gaeleg yr Alban, ond yr wyf yn siarad Cymraeg.” She lifted her eyebrow, smiling proudly.

 

Curious and amused, Vastra tilted her head again while asking, “Pray tell, what does _that_ mean exactly?”

 

“It means ‘Well, I don’t speak Scots Gaelic, but I speak Welsh’. In Welsh, that is.” She laughed, amused by Vastra’s reaction.

 

“Very well done….most impressive, indeed,” Vastra praised Jenny as she lightly applauded. She really admired how skillfully Jenny pronounced those words, which smoothly rolled off her tongue like butter. It was also extremely attractive, she noted, and flushed a shade of red.

 

Jenny smiled. “Thank you, your Scots Gaelic is quite impressive as well. It really sounds beautiful. Don’t know if Welsh is as attractive.”

 

“I believe that it is, “ spoke Vastra truthfully. “Especially when it’s being spoken from your mouth.” Oh yes, that exquisitely pretty and alluring mouth of hers.

 

“Oh thank you.” Jenny blushed, feeling incredibly flattered by Vastra’s statement. She rather felt the same. “So, uh, do you visit often? Scotland, I mean. Your family.” In the midst of it all, Jenny just suddenly asked a very private question. It was stupid, she knew, but she didn't have time to stop herself.

 

As soon as she heard that, Vastra’s joyous demeanor instantly faltered and she quietly gazed down at her plate.

 

Eventually, she released a sigh and looked toward Jenny with a sad watery smile. “Yes, I do visit home sometimes, but not as often as I would like. Working at the clinic keeps me very busy here.” She briefly paused as her mind wandered back to her family and all the fun memories. “I always try to make it there for the holidays, birthdays, and whatnot. Every moment is precious, and I didn’t want to waste any of them”

 

Vastra then lifted her cup of tea to take a long sip from it, hoping that it would help to calm her nerves.  

 

“I’m sorry.” Jenny apologised swiftly, feeling utterly stupid for having dared to ask such a sensitive question. “I understand how you feel. I really do. Sometimes, you just sit there, and you wonder what they’re doing at that very moment. Wondering what precious memory you are missing out on. Knowing that no matter what you won't ever get back the time you're not there. It doesn't matter why you’re not there, or that you logically know you can’t. It hurts either way.” Feeling so incredibly sad for Vastra’s sake, knowing that she had a fantastic family, but couldn't be with them as much as she wanted to, Jenny carefully reached out and put her hand on top of Vastra’s.

 

Genuinely stunned by Jenny’s heartfelt testimony, not to mention the comforting warmth of Jenny’s hand on her own, Vastra merely blinked twice before nodding in agreement. It wasn’t hard for Vastra to understand Jenny’s reasons for saying those things, as she knew that Jenny herself was also without her family.  At least Vastra still had a good enough relationship with her family; Jenny hasn’t seen hers in so many years, and it’s highly  likely that they want nothing to do with her now. Jenny clearly has it worse, having been forced to survive alone with nobody to love or care for her, and Vastra’s heart ached most painfully just to think about it. If you ask her, Jenny definitely deserved much more than the entire world for all the terrible troubles that she’s been through, and Vastra would be rightly glad to give it to her. Perhaps one day in the future, she might even be able to stop running from her past and bring Jenny back into the welcoming arms of her own family; There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that Jenny would fit right into her large and crazy clan. Blast to bloody hell with Jenny’s old family! Vastra will be her new family and she would do anything not matter what to make Jenny happy. It’s way too early to be thinking about such things, however, and Vastra was presently content with finding a true kindred spirit in Jenny.

 

They remained silent for a while before Vastra finally said, “Thank you, Jenny. Your words….they mean a lot to me. Thank you.”

 

“Your welcome. I’m sorry for being so personal.” Jenny smiled humorlessly. “I just wanted you to feel understood. That you’re not the only one who’s hurting.”

 

Vastra did not respond, but simply offered an appreciative smile at Jenny. Alas, their meaningful and bittersweet moment was abruptly interrupted by an earsplitting shriek of alarm. _Rats!_ Literally! Hundreds of those furry little vermins were suddenly flooding into the restaurant,  completely ruining the classy and sophisticated ambiance of the establishment. A scene of pure panic and chaos ensued, as  a stampede of terrified patrons all tried to rush out of the door at once. It was in the midst of this wild catastrophe that Vastra instinctively grabbed Jenny’s hand, and began guiding her through  the fray until they were both safely outside. The two of them struggled to catch their breath while continuing to watch the Great Rat Invasion unfold in front of their eyes. There goes their chances of having a nice, quiet, normal evening dinner together, chewed up by a bunch of damn filthy rats. This has got to be recorded as one of the Worst Dates Ever In History, thought Vastra.

 

Vastra was beyond her breaking point right now, and she expressed her frustration by furiously kicking at the ground. “Bloody hell! That was a fucking bloody mess of a disaster! Why can’t anything just be right for once tonight,” ranted the enraged Scottish woman, who was almost breathing fire. “Blasted and bloody hell!”

 

A little startled by Vastra’s anger, Jenny grabbed onto her arm. “Hey, Vastra! Take it easy. I am sure it’s only  some sort of accident or something?” Jenny suggested, trying to keep herself calm as well as pacify Vastra. “It’s OK, honestly.”

 

Vastra’s blazing blue eyes locked onto Jenny’s pleading brown  ones for a few tense moments, before her face softened and she huffed in resignation. The damage has been done, and throwing a temper tantrum certainly wouldn’t help to make things better either. Vastra mentally cursed herself for getting carried away and behaving so poorly in front of Jenny.

 

“Yes, you are right, of course…..I’m sorry,” confessed Vastra in a low voice. “I wanted this date to be absolutely perfect, for you. Though unfortunately, it would seem that the universe is completely hellbent  on making that impossible.”

 

Jenny smiled kindly. “Don’t worry. It’s fine. Dates just...go bad sometimes. But perhaps this is a bit extreme. Still, it's fine.”

 

“You're kidding with me, aren’t you?” Vastra questioned a bit reproachfully, still skeptical at Jenny’s apparent good cheer. “We were chased out of a restaurant by a horde of hungry feral rats, and you’re just… _..fine?_ That’s it?”

 

Truth be told, Vastra definitely had to give the girl some credit for possessing the patience of an absolute saint!

 

“Well...I can’t say I wouldn't like to know who’s behind this” Jenny admitted, a hint of annoyance and anger in her voice. “But all things considered, they’re probably completely crazy so it’d do little difference…”

 

Their attention was then drawn back to the restaurant, where the head chef can be seen as he pursued the rats out of the door, angrily waving his butcher knife and shouting profanities after them in French. He was shortly followed by Bill, whose initially neat and pristine Victorian dress had become visibly disheveled. Stumbling out of the restaurant on shaky legs, she soon caught sight of Vastra and Jenny, and proceeded to approach them.

 

“Oh, there you guys are! I’m so glad you made it out of there alive!” Exclaimed Bill with relief, before a hard look of displeasure settled on her face. “Though I can’t say the same for whoever did this! I mean….just look at all this damage that the rats are causing!” She frantically gestured toward the newly rat infested restaurant . “The repair costs are going to be cut out from my paycheck! Oh ho ho, you can bet that if I ever find the crazy lunatic who did this, they’re DEAD!”

 

Bill’s murderous statement was followed by the sound of maniacal laughter, high pitched and very clearly amused.  As they looked around, they could hear the laughter growing stronger with each passing moment. Soon, the sound was almost surrounding them, the person still laughing crazed. It was also at this point that they also found the source of the sound, a brown haired woman dressed in a fancy plum coloured dress standing in the middle of the crowd of terrified spectators. There was something distinctly dangerous in her intense gaze, having the people around her move away from her as she stood still, laughing to her heart's content as she watched the rats running around the restaurant inside the windows.

 

“Haha, look at all you fools! Your faces when I let in the rats, priceless! Scared like silly little girls, all squealing and running and screaming!” The woman exclaimed, still caught in a laughing fit.

 

That was the final straw for Jenny. It was as though something snapped in her, and she could _definitely_ not keep her calm anymore as she heard someone admitting to having let loose the rats _on purpose_.

 

“Okay that is bloody it! I swear to god I am going to arrest that blasted mad lady and I’ll be damned if I won’t have her convicted for every single felony I could possibly  have her convicted for!” Jenny yelled, now absolutely furious, her eyes locked on the still laughing madlady and blazing with intense hatred.

 

Before either Vastra or Bill could respond, Jenny immediately began stomping toward the restaurant with handcuffs in hand, determined to put a stop to that psycho lady’s reign of terror. She is a cop after all, whether she’s in uniform or not, and it was still her personal duty to deliver justice wherever it is needed. Furthermore, this woman had made the very grave mistake of ruining Jenny’s wonderful date with Vastra, which only served to increase the fuel of her hellfire anger. Meanwhile, Vastra merely remained stuck to her spot on the sidewalk, her mouth gaping open in shock at Jenny’s explosive reaction. Of course Vastra knew that Jenny worked as a  cop in Scotland Yard, but she had never really seen in her in action until now. It was a completely baffling experience for her to witness how sweet, gentle Jenny Flint had instantly transformed into a tough, no-nonsense badass as she marched back to the restaurant. The image of Jenny having to possibly roughen up somebody and slapping a pair of handcuffs on them caused a strangely warm feeling to spread within Vastra’s stomach. She swallowed hard, having to secretly admit that this new aggressive side of Jenny was highly attractive.

 

Shaking her head, Vastra eventually recovered her senses, and rushed after the fuming brunette cop. “Jenny, wait! My dear, as much as I agree that your frustration is entirely justified,” said Vastra calmly as she placed a hand on Jenny’s shoulder,”I’m afraid that a confrontation with that insane woman might not be worth it. It would seem that we’ve both had enough stress and chaos for one night. So how about you put those handcuffs away, and allow me to take you home, no?” Vastra smiled and gently rubbed the side of Jenny’s arm in hopes of soothing her temper.

 

“No way! She let _rats_ , hundreds of _rats_ , into a full restaurant! On PURPOSE!” Jenny yelled, tearing her arm away from Vastra. She _knew_ she should probably listen to Vastra, but she felt so angry that all sensible ways to react to Vastra’s statement left her brain simultaneously. “I am not going to let her get away with it!”

 

Regardless of the urgency of the current situation, Vastra continued to smile in spite of herself, equally amused and impressed by the feisty young woman’s protests.

 

Soon, it was Bill who spoke up as she walked over to them yet again. “Don’t worry, she won’t…..the police will take care of everything here,” informed Bill while nodding to the several police cars that were racing toward them from down the road. All other sounds disappeared as the loudly blaring sirens dominated the air. “Anyway, I totally agree with Vastra that you should get home and rest, especially after this bloody fiasco. Sorry that your romantic date didn’t go as planned.”

 

“Thank you, Bill, you have been most helpful to us tonight,”replied Vastra with deep gratitude for  her friend. She then turned around to pin her pleading blue eyes onto Jenny and asked, “Well, Jenny, don’t you think  it’s best that we leave it to the  proper authorities to handle this situation? I believe that they are more than capable of apprehending a single rogue terrorist.”

 

Sighing, Jenny nodded weakly. “I suppose so.” She glanced at the cars, smiling slightly. “I’ll still have the pleasure of hearing the whole story over coffee tomorrow, anyway. I think Jenny’s on call tonight.”

 

Upon hearing that, Vastra finally released the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. Feeling utterly relieved that her date won’t go running headlong into danger, she gallantly offered Jenny her arm and said, “Splendid, and may I now have the honor of escorting you home, milady?”

 

Blushing, Jenny smiled and nodded her consent. “Definitely.” She replied, taking the offered arm  and giving Vastra another warm smile.

 

“Goodnight and farewell, Bill, until we meet again,” Vastra addressed Bill one last time, sounding sympathetic at her friend’s distressful state. Suddenly, her mind lit up with a brilliant idea and she began fishing some money out of her pocket. “Here, this is for you….consider it as a tip for your most excellent service tonight.”

 

A bright and cheerful smile instantly bloomed on Bill’s face as Vastra placed the money into her hands. “Oh, wow! This is the best tip I’ve ever gotten! Thank you so much, you guys!”

 

Jenny and Vastra said nothing, but simply beamed at the sight of Bill’s glowing happiness; No doubt the young maid servant had an even worse night than they did, so they were truly glad to make it better however they can.

 

“Come along, Jenny, my motorcycle awaits us at the clinic,”proclaimed Vastra with a slight tug of her arm, preparing to lead the way.

 

Quickly turning around, Jenny called to Bill, “Goodbye , Bill! It was really nice meeting you, and thanks  for putting up with us! ” She smiled, laughing a little, before finally giving in to the tugging and letting Vastra take her away.

 

Meanwhile, back at the clinic, John and Clara were both huddling close to a window when two familiar figures finally came into view. Vastra and Jenny were walking arm-in-arm towards her motorcycle that was parked out front, looking absolutely enamoured from their dinner date earlier, and blissfully oblivious to the fact that they were being spied on. The couple then stopped beside the motorcycle, their hands lightly brushing in between them, and began exchanging a string of muffled, yet visibly awkward dialogue while Vastra’s extremely nosey co-workers continued to strain their eyeballs at the entertaining scene before them.

 

Helpless to resist the swelling emotions inside him, John let a few stray tears roll down his cheeks as he thought of how far Vastra had come from when they first met. He felt like a proud father watching his daughter graduate, all grown up and ready to face the world on her own. Vastra had been brave enough to ask Jenny out on date, safely guiding the both of them through  dinner and a rat invasion that was surely  going to be the highlight of many newspapers the next day.  Even Clara and his annoyingly rude phone call had she survived, keeping the date moving forward regardless.

 

His little grumpy lizard daughter had grown up, and he couldn’t be prouder.

 

“Ugh, here, you are such a sappy loser,” remarked Clara teasingly, as she rolled her eyes and handed John a tissue box. Although she did enjoy making fun of John, she could hardly blame him for crying at the miracle that was their friend on a date with the girl she fancies. “Aww, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Vastra smile this much before. Whatever magic that Jenny is doing, she’s definitely a keeper.”

 

“A keeper indeed.” John agreed chokingly, using the napkins Clara gave him to blow his nose and wipe away some stray tears.

 

“The two of them do make a really adorable couple, “chimed in the sultry voice of River Song, whose arms stealthily wound themselves around her boyfriend’s waist from behind. The vivacious blonde woman then leaned in to nip at John’s earlobe, and gave his buttocks a quick pinch, causing him to release a high-pitched yelp. “I couldn’t believe it when you told me  that Vastra is in love, until I came to  see it for myself now.”

 

“Oh just you wait, this is simply the beginning! Knowing our dear lizard girl, she won’t stop, nor will I let her stop, before she has put a ring on that girl's finger!” John smiled indulgently, envisioning the wedding of Jenny and Vastra.

 

Clara snorted a laugh at that saying, “Oh God, he already has wedding bells ringing in his head!”

 

River, however, merely shook her head in fond exasperation and sighed rather melodramatically, “Sweetie, if only you would listen to your own advice and focus on our relationship like you’re doing with Vastra.” A nefarious smirk suddenly appeared on her face as she suggested, “Though I wouldn’t be opposed to betting on how long it will take before we catch them shagging in her office.”

 

She then turned her head to share a conspiratorial glance with Clarac, winking devilishly, and the both them instantly erupted in roaring laughter.

 

“Great, your on. I say three weeks.” John smiled mischievously at his girlfriend, blushing just a little as he added,“The winner gets the same thing we’re betting on with the loser.”

 

So while the three troublesome meddlers were busy plotting, Vastra had just helped Jenny to properly sit on her motorcycle and was presenting her with a spare helmet very similar to her own.

 

“Safety always comes first,” said Vastra coolly while winking at Jenny. “Especially when I’m carrying such beautiful and valuable cargo.”

 

Graciously taking the helmet and putting it on her head, Jenny blushed a little. “Thank you. I promise I’ll be careful.”

 

“As do I, considering that I’ll be doing the actual driving,” exclaimed the Scottish woman with a hearty laugh. There was a certain softness in Vastra’s face as she bit her bottom lip, while mentally noting  how utterly adorable Jenny looked wearing the slightly too large helmet. Soon, she herself then smoothly slid onto the motorcycle seat, before donning her own helmet, goggles, and leather riding gloves.  Gingerly placing both her hands on the handlebars, she spared a quick glance over her shoulder and asked, “Are you ready to go, my dear?”

 

“Oh yes.” Jenny agreed, smiling a huge, glowing grin. “This is going to be so exciting! I’ve never been on a motorcycle before! Ever!” A bit nervous despite her excitement, Jenny wrapped her arms around Vastra’s waist, squeezing it for reassurance.

 

Vastra sharply sucked in a breath of air when she felt two lithe arms hug her abdomen from behind, as well as the sensuous warmth created by having her back pressed firmly against Jenny’s chest.

 

Grateful that Jenny couldn’t see her crimson blushing cheeks, Vastra announced theatrically, “Then hold on tight, because you’re in for a real treat!”

 

Jenny didn’t answer. She simply hugged Vastra tighter as they took off, determined to enjoy the ride rather than blabbering it all away.

 

Eager to introduce Jenny to the thrilling sensation of riding a motorcycle, Vastra pumped the throttle, which immediately resulted in the engine roaring to life underneath them. She grinned when she heard Jenny release a small startled yelp at the sudden noise, before carefully guiding the motorcycle onto the road and launching it into motion at full speed. They passed by the Rosekettle restaurant just in time to see the villainous Rat Lady being ushered into a police car by some officers, kicking and biting them in the process. Bill, meanwhile, frantically waved and cheered at them until they were completely out of sight, disappearing into the sunset together. Vastra couldn’t help but laugh as she reflected on the crazy series of events that transpired earlier that evening; Despite multiple setbacks that included the unearthing of unpleasant past memories, John and Clara’s disruptive phone call, and a freak rat invasion, Vastra was still able to genuinely enjoy her dinner date with Jenny. Nothing else seemed to really matter as long as she got to spend time with Jenny, who had kept Vastra on the edge of her seat while they talked about everything ranging from family to life, and simply getting to know each other better. Vastra’s heart leapt with pure joy within her chest upon comprehending the unbelievable fact that she was now zooming through London with a beautiful girl hugging her waist from behind, the cool wind blowing against her face, the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing in her veins, and she knew right then that this was definitely a night she will never forget.

 

(DONE!!!)


	2. After the First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S BEEN FIVE MONTHS SINCE WE LAST UPDATED??? PSSHT
> 
> So hey, everybody, sorry for the super long wait due to Real Life interfering in our plans, but we're finally back again! Me and the lovely Pearlislove have put all that we got into writing this chapter, which we hope that you guys will enjoy reading! Please leave a review while you're at it, too, because we always love to hear feedback from you guys!

**Post-First Date, outside Jenny’s apartment...**

 

Sitting behind Vastra on the motorcycle, Jenny felt content. It was a calm, beautiful evening compared to their earlier dinner,and Vastra’s body was warm and comforting as she leaned against her back, arms wrapped around her stomach. When the day began, Jenny had definitely not thought that it would turn out this good, and it made her smile just thinking of the fact that Vastra had not only enjoyed her company but been so satisfied with their date - rats notwithstanding - that she offered her a ride home.

Closing her eyes for a brief second, Jenny imagined how their lives could be together. She imagined a shared living space, mismatched coffee mugs in the cupboard, and walls that were painted and decorated with love instead of old, peeling blue wallpaper.

  
Jenny imagined a _home_ , where she could finally, actually _feel at home_ for the first time in so, so long, because she was sharing it with someone that she loved.

Opening her eyes to reality once more, Jenny realized that Vastra had stopped. In the short moments that she had spent zoning out, she and Vastra had arrived at her apartment building.

A little embarrassed, she returned the helmet she had borrowed and climbed off the bike as quick as she could. Not really used to dismounting a motorcycle, she nearly lost her balance and would have fell flat on her bum if it wasn’t for Vastra, who caught her arm at the last minute. Unable to prevent a brightly crimson blush from creeping into her cheeks, Jenny whispered a quiet ‘thank you’ as she tried to stand up straighter. She almost started walking away too, before suddenly turning around to face Vastra.

“Thanks for everything tonight, it was amazing.” She smiled, and leaned in to kiss Vastra on the cheek.

Then she ran. As soon as she’d kissed Vastra, she was off, sprinting up the stairs to her apartment faster than light, her embarrassment fueling her and encouraging her to run faster.

Once she was finally safe in her apartment, she started laughing instead, albeit a bit hysterically. She just couldn’t stop! Her abject horror at her own boldness had turned into pure glee as she practically danced her way into the kitchen, singing under her breath some love song she’d heard on the radio long ago.

From his cage, Greeny was looking at her oddly with his beady, judgmental eyes, but she ignored it. She felt way too happy to let anything ruin her night.

Still singing, she ran through the kitchen to the open window that faced  the street, watching with a smile as Vastra zoomed off into the sunset, just as she had done after that Sunday at her apartment. She was so lost in the moment, in the absolute joy of everything that happened, that almost she didn't  hear it when her phone started buzzing in her pocket.

Pulling it out, Jenny smiled as she saw her friend’s( also named Jenny funnily enough) face smiling at her from the screen. Not hesitating in the slightest, she hit the call button and put the phone to her ear. “Hello, Jenny Flint here.”

“No shit, Sherlock, _where_ were you this evening?” Snorted the blonde Jenny from the opposite side of the line. “You just missed one hell of an arrest earlier…..a psychopathic woman set loose a whole army of _rats_ into a restaurant full of people! Can you bloody believe that?!”

Jenny laughed, vividly remembering how Vastra had to literally hold her in place to stop her from arresting the woman herself. “Of course I can, I was _there_! I was so bloody close to arresting that woman on my own!”

“What?! No you weren’t!” Exclaimed the skeptical voice of blonde Jenny. “Then why did I not see you there, huh?”

“Because my d…” Jenny stopped, taking a deep breath. Was she really about to tell her she’d been on a date? Yes, she was. “Because my _date_ thought I should leave it to someone who was actually working. She gave me a ride home.” Jenny smiled, feeling so in love just thinking of Vastra.

The line suddenly fell silent for a while before her friend loudly whistled, “Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle….that explains why you were in such a hurry, and almost knocked me over earlier!”

Jenny laughed, relieved that Jenny was taking the news in a good way and not being too smug. “Yeah, sorry about that by the way. But I just had to get home and shower before my date. I wouldn’t do well to turn up stinking and in uniform, you know. ”

 

“Hey, I’ll have you know that most people find uniforms to be rather attractive,” countered blonde Jenny, who was in fact speaking from personal experience. “Anyway, I suppose that I can forgive you for nearly trampling me today…..BUT  I’m doubling the amount of laps you have to run at our next physical training session!” Now that her initial shock at Jenny going on date had worn off, it was then replaced by a powerful sense of outrage. “That’s for not telling me that you had a date in the first place! How dare you _betray_ me like this, Jenny, we’re best friends for Christ’s sake!”

“Yeah well would you have teased me if I told you? Because I was nervous enough as it was, thank you very much!” Jenny rebuked, a little angry to be accused by Jenny.

“Why, Tiny Jenny, I’m _hurt_ that you would even _accuse_ me of such a thing,” gasped Jenny in a melodramatic fashion while feigning distress. Sighing, she then adopted a more sympathetic tone as she spoke, “OK, OK, you’re right, I would have teased you….but only a little bit, because I love you. I would have given you some advice and a pep-talk to help you get ready!"

 

In addition to being partners on the London police force, the two Jennys also shared an extremely close bond that was akin to sisterly affection. They had a long meaningful history together, starting three years ago when veteran officer Jenny Smith was first assigned to mentor the newly recruited Jenny Flint. She instantly took a liking to her young protege, as she saw that the brunette possessed a substantial amount of untapped potential underneath her illiterate and naive exterior. Therefore, it was thanks to Jenny’s effective method of teaching and training that Jenny Flint was able to transform into the strong, intelligent, and highly skilled officer that she is today. Jenny, in turn, had looked up to the older blonde with awe as a larger than life figure who was capable of anything. Their relationship eventually deepened when Jenny tearfully confessed the traumatic events of her past to the blonde, whose heart became flooded with genuine compassion for her. ‘Tiny Jenny’ was essentially a beloved younger sister to Jenny, and she vowed that she will never let anybody harm even a single hair on her head. After years of serving to protect their city side-by-side, it somewhat pained the blonde that Jenny didn’t bother to tell her that she had a date, which was absolutely nothing to sneeze at. However, it did serve to confirm her lingering suspicions that Jenny was currently seeing someone, she just didn’t know who it was. Jenny hasn’t been exactly subtle when it came to her mysterious infatuation, as she would frequently notice the brunette smiling to herself while doing paperwork, or giggling for apparently no reason; She also swears that she once caught a brief glimpse of  what appeared to be hearts containing scratchy initials that Jenny was doodling inside a notebook. Although she had decided not to say anything about it, Jenny still thought that it was super adorable how utterly in love her dear friend seemed to be.

 

Sighing softly, Jenny smiled dreamily. “Of course. Sorry. Look, her name’s Vastra and she helped me with Greeny a few weeks ago, when he was sick if you remember? It just kind of happened. It wasn’t planned or anything….she was simply so extremely wonderful and I just couldn’t say no!” Jenny babbled on, heaving out as much as she could before she regretted it. “Even with the rats, our date tonight was absolutely amazing!”

Jenny could practically sense the other woman’s sagacious grin as she chuckled, “Oh, in that case, is it safe for me to assume that this 'Vastra' is the same person who’s got you all lovey-dovey in the head last week? You weren’t fooling anyone, you know!” Added Jenny in fond exasperation of her friend’s antics.

“Hey! It’s not like I was lying. I just didn’t tell you anything… but yes, those two are one and the same. I'm sure you’ll like her if you ever meet her, she’s amazing.” Jenny told Jenny, still smiling.

“So you’ve claimed for the _hundredth time_ already,” muttered the blonde while rolling her eyes, but genuinely happy for Jenny nonetheless. “Does that mean you won’t need me to  look at her official records and do a background check? There’s still a chance that she could secretly be a serial killer or something,” warned Jenny, albeit half-jokingly, her protective police instincts kicking in.

Laughing, Jenny shook her head. “No thank you! I really don’t think there’s anything bad on her, and besides, Greeny like her. If Greeny likes her then she’s surely ok. Greeny is a great judge of character.”

“Well, I suppose that I can’t argue with such sound and reasonable logic,” responded Jenny, her grin growing wider in amusement at her friend’s current situation. “Love at first lizard….ha, who would have ever thought of that!”

As ridiculous as it all was, Jenny couldn’t ignore the sensation of utter relief that flooded her, for she was worried that Jenny had given up on finding a romantic partner. Although Jenny would never admit to it, the blonde could sense that she’s been lowkey suppressing her same-sex attraction for many years now, too afraid to go out and mingle with the small yet prominent LGBTQ+ community that is thriving in London, due to her own deeply internalized homophobia. Therefore, she figured that whoever this Vastra character was that successfully managed to reach through Jenny’s walls and touch her heart, truly deserved a huge fucking trophy for bringing her friend some happiness.

 

Jenny nodded in agreement that the whole ordeal was sort of funny. “Yeah, who would have thought? I mean, I didn’t even think I’d get her number, let alone a date. Even if did end with rats invading the place.”

Jenny chuckled in response while looking back down the hall toward the room in which Jack was currently interrogating the Crazy Rat Lady. “Yeah, maybe it’s best that you avoid watching Ratatouille in the future.” She briefly paused to silently ponder something before jovially asking, “Anywaaaaay….I’m definitely going to be the bridesmaid at your wedding, right?”

Jenny choked. She had decided to get herself a glass of water while listening to the other Jenny, and now she regretted it something extreme, coughing roughly as she tried to recover from the complete shock. “We’re not THERE yet! For heaven’s sake, woman....we’ve been on _one date_!” She whined.

“Doesn’t that already count as a marriage engagement for lesbians?” Retorted the blond coyly, seizing this opportunity to tease her clearly lovestruck friend.

Staring out the window lazily, wondering if this was how Vastra felt every time she talked to John and Clara, Jenny startled as she finally heard the reply. “What? No! Watch your words or there won’t be a place for you at my wedding!” Jenny threatened, smiling victoriously as she did. That’d put her friend in her place, at least for the time being.

“Damn…..guess I’ll just have to settle for crashing it then,” Jenny shrugged casually, relishing in the scandalized gasp that came from the brunette. She then proceeded to curiously inquire,”Well since your first date was such a _smashing success,_ have you planned anything for a second one yet?”

“I have no idea. She did such an amazing job of arranging the first date, I’m not sure that I can beat it…” Jenny sighed, frowning. “Besides, with everything going on at work, I’m unlikely to find time for it anytime soon. You of all people should know that.”

Unwilling to let a pile of mundane paperwork to prevent Jenny from pursuing a promising new relationship, blond Jenny’s brows furrowed as she spoke, “In that case, don’t you worry about it. I’m going to do you a favor and tell Jack to clear your work schedule so that you’ll be free this weekend.”

“But you can't just do that! It’s not fair!” Jenny protested overdramatically, more for the sake of it than anything else. Finally, she smiled. “Thank you, I appreciate it. Now, do you have any smashing date suggestions?” She smiled, already imagining how wonderful it’ll be to meet Vastra again even though she didn’t know what they were going to do.

 

The older woman stroke her chin and hummed thoughtfully, before her face lit up with a brilliant idea. “Hmm, that depends on whether or not this Vastra has ever gone rollerskating before. Why don’t you take her on a tour around the city?” Advised Jenny, remembering fondly how she had taught her friend to rollerskate, both for fun and fitness purposes; As a result, the brunette had continued to love it til this very day. “Should give you a chance to show off your skills and _really_ impress her.”

“You really think it’s a good idea? I wouldn't want to make her feel bad in comparison. Could be fun though…” Jenny debated, gnawing on her lip as she thought of it. “I mean, it all depends on if she knows how to, doesn't it? I can’t exactly ask her to do something she’s never done before…”

“ _Oh Jenny, Jenny, Jenny_ , why must you insist on making this harder than it needs to be,” admonished the blonde mildly, fully aware of Jenny’s apparent hesitance and nervousness. “Listen, babe, it doesn’t matter if she--,” Suddenly, there was a loud crash in the background, prompting Jenny to turn around and begin frantically shouting into the phone. “Ahh bloody hell….It’s that blasted Crazy Rat Lady…..She somehow broke loose from the handcuffs and is attacking Jack…..Shit, fuck, I have to go and help him….Sorry!”

Thus with that, the phone line went dead silent as soon as Jenny hung up.

Sighing, realizing there was no point  in trying to call back, Jenny glanced up at the clock. It showed that it was 9 PM, and soon enough it would be time for Jenny to go to bed. But first, she wanted some quality time with Greeny.

Gently picking the lizard out of his cage, she carried him with her into the living room, softly sitting down on the sofa and stroking his back. “Oh Greeny, you would not believe the night I just had…”

 

* * *

 

**Meanwhile, at 13 Paternoster Row…..**

 

It was precisely 9:15 pm on the dot when Vastra finally opened the door and set foot inside the vicinity of her own house. The temperature outside was low and the air was awfully chilly, causing Vastra to shiver from head to toe, as she hadn’t bothered to return to the animal clinic to retrieve her coat and scarf, but instead went straight home after dropping Jenny off at her apartment. The cold was instantly forgotten, however, when a sudden sensation of warmth washed over Vastra’s entire body as she leaned back against the door, and her mind wandered to thoughts of Jenny. Tentatively, she brought up her right hand to touch the spot on her cheek where Jenny had kissed it, still tingling even now, and a broad joyous smile gradually spread across her face. She couldn’t believe how extremely lucky she was to have actually landed a date with Jenny Flint, the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen, and all the events of that night kept replaying on repeat within her mind. Vastra recalled Jenny’s facial expression, so full of awe and wonder, when they initially entered the Rosekettle Restaurant, because Jenny deserve nothing less than the very best that she could offer her. Despite a few unwelcomed setbacks that included obnoxious phone calls and an invading army of rats, there were also plenty of moments where the two of them genuinely enjoyed their time together. The food was superbly delicious, of course, but the real highlight during their dinner was how freely they were able to share stories, memories, experiences, talk about personal interests, hobbies, geek out about their favorite sci-fi show, make jokes, laugh, and simply connect with each other on a more deeper level;Vastra learned so many things about Jenny that evening, like how she mostly prefer to eat fish and chips, that she’s easily startled by loud noises, the adorable way her nose scrunches whenever she catch whiff of an unpleasant smell, how she gently blows on her tea before taking a sip, the graceful manner in which her lips move when speaking Welsh, and every tiniest detail only served to increase her already sky-high adoration for the girl. As much as Vastra hated how cliche it sounds, the one word that she would use to perfectly describe her rendezvous with Jenny, was _‘magical’_. A fateful meeting  with a lovely stranger at the clinic leading to a date where sparks flew between them, it just seemed too good to be true, and Vastra had to fight the urge to pinch herself. Truth be told, Vastra never thought it was possible for her to feel this way about someone again, as if she was a young schoolgirl with her first crush, palms sweating, heart racing, butterflies dancing; Ever since her last serious relationship ended in disaster, Vastra had been consciously steering clear of any potential new romance except for the occasional drunk kissing at clubs, and hooking up with willing pretty girls, no strings attached. Then everything changed when Jenny Flint unexpectedly came into her life, thus giving Vastra a restored sense of hope that this could be her second chance at obtaining love and happiness, if she played her cards right.

Indeed, there was an extra spring in Vastra’s stride as she was practically walking on air toward the kitchen, dreamily humming the melody of a love song in her enamored state. A simple flip of a switch instantly turned on the lights to make it easier for Vastra as she went around searching in every cupboard, until she finally found what she was looking for: a special bottle of her favorite scotch whiskey brand. Once she’d retrieve a small drinking glass, she then poured out some whiskey into it, before raising it up in front of her while she softly chanted a few words in Gaelic and downing it all in a single go. This little ritual was actually a tradition among Vastra and her siblings, to help bring good luck whenever one of them got into a new relationship. A sudden pang of loneliness occured in Vastra’s heart when she briefly thought about her family, but it wasn’t enough to diminish the absolutely overwhelming joy that she felt after spending the night eating dinner with a beautiful girl, who she adored.

 

That said, it was also the reason why Vastra failed to notice that her phone was ringing rather persistently in her jean pocket before a loud beeping noise alerted her of reality.

Pulling out her phone to check the caller ID, Vastra’s mouth quirked to form a slight grin when she saw that it was her sister, Lanah. _Well, speak of the devil….._

She then pressed the answer button and brought the phone up to her ear, already armed with her usual sarcasm on the tip of her tongue. “Ah, whatever did I do to deserve the pleasure of your company, my dear sister?”

“Well, I heard you had been on a _hot date_. A friend of yours blabbed.” Lanah’s amusement was clear in her voice. “So, how was it?”

Vastra nearly spit out the whiskey she was drinking when Lanah mentioned her ‘hot date’, but somehow managed to swallow it down. She then cleared her throat before attempting to sound collected as she said, “That so-called _‘friend’_ has been telling you _lies_ , for I really have no idea what you’re talking about! The only date I have tonight, is with a bottle of scotch and then my bed! God, I could sleep for a thousand years after the day I just had.” To further emphasize her point, Vastra dramatically faked a yawn which she hoped would be convincing enough for Lanah.

“Oh? You had a _long day_? Then pray tell, what was it that made it so exhausting? If you weren’t on a date, that is.” Lanah’s prying questions revealed her disbelief of Vastra’s statement.

“Hmm, for starters, I had to work an absolutely _grueling_ twelve hour shift at the animal clinic today,” bemoaned Vastra in a desperate bid to get her meddling sister off her case. She definitely wasn’t ready to let Lanah know about Jenny yet, lest she risk being mercilessly teased to death. “Which was no walk in the park when I also had to babysit three fully grown and irresponsible _children_ , who are supposed to be my colleagues. Then I injured my hand while performing surgery on a dog…..and what else? Oh, yes, I was so looking forward to a nice rewarding meal at the Rosekettle afterward, but even that dream was dashed when it had to close early due to a rat infestation.” Vastra figured that technically, she wasn’t lying by conveniently choosing to leave a few particular details out of her otherwise true testimony. “There...satisfied?”

“Don’t you mean _rat invasion_ ?  Some London paper got the story published already, have it on my phone. I wonder if I can see you in the photo of the terrified customers standing outside…” Lanah said, pausing for a short while before letting out a small laugh. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I see you there. I’ll send it to you in a minute. _Anyway_ , sounds like a rather horrid day indeed. Hope you don’t get sick from being around all those horrible rats, Extra.”

 

Vastra merely remained silent for a moment, as she certainly did not expect  news of the Rosekettle’s rat fiasco to travel so quickly. “Psssht, I highly doubt that I’m in any photographs because I immediately left the place as soon as possible. Besides, living with you for all those years should’ve rendered me immune to rat transmitted diseases,”quipped Vastra, trying to hide her rising panic behind witty banter.

Seriously, what were the chances that she and Jenny could have been spotted together by some numbskull with a camera?

“Oh you’ll see. Just sent the picture to your phone. I mean, I’m not saying it’s you helping a lovely little brunette onto your motorcycle, but you can see for yourself….that helmet is quite hard to miss,”Lanah replied triumphantly, too smug to even be offended by Vastra’s last remark.

Vastra could practically feel her blood pressure dropping as Lanah’s words caused a sudden sense of dread to overcome her being. It wasn’t long before her phone emitted a rather ominous _bing_ to indicate that it has received a new picture, courtesy of Lanah. Bracing herself for the worst and holding in her breath, it was with a trembling hand that Vastra cautiously tapped the notification on her phone, which confirmed her fears when it opened to display an incriminating photo of herself standing with Jenny beside her motorcycle.

 

 _Bloody. Fucking_ . _Shit._

 

For once that night, Vastra was struck completely speechless when faced with clear, undeniable photographic evidence of her whereabouts earlier.

“So, now that I have successfully proven that you were on a date, will you please tell me about it?” Lanah asked, her voice suddenly a lot softer than before. “I don’t mean to be pushy, Extra, but I can’t be down there with you and see everything firsthand, and since you won’t tell me anything most of the time...I just have to use whatever alternatives are at my disposal.”

A part of Vastra did want to tell Lanah the truth, but not before she pull out one final trick that she still had up her sleeve: _Denial._

Frantically racking her brain for anything remotely useful, Vastra then began to explain, “Oh, well, this is quite awkward….I’m sorry to say this, Lanah, but that brunette is actually John’s cousin. She recently arrived to visit him in London, and I was just being nice by offering her a ride to her hotel when John was preoccupied with work.” Vastra had been known to possess a silver tongue and uncanny knack for storytelling, which she planned to use to the best of her ability in this situation. “I’m afraid I can’t recall her name at the moment, but she seemed to be a sweet and charming young lady from what I could observe. I could hardly believe that John and her are related at first! So, trust me when I tell you that my interactions with her were nothing but platonic,” concluded Vastra, whose pulse was racing at a hundred miles per minute with the sheer amount of effort it took her to craft that elaborate lie.

“Oh...so you mean John and Clara _lied_ , then? And also, you mean to tell me you did not use the opportunity to gain a date with her? Because honestly Extra, that would simply be sloppy of you. Such an excellent moment with a cute girl, all gone to waste.”

“No such thoughts of a romantic entanglement with her even crossed my mind,” Vastra replied coolly, her initial nervousness being replaced by amusement at her sister’s reaction. “She’s John’s cousin, for goodness sake, and _that_ is a can of worms I really don’t want to open! Furthermore, she isn’t exactly my type, and I resent your implication that I’m attracted to every girl I talk to! In that regard, you are most sorely mistaken,”asserted Vastra with a huff of indignation.

“Mistaken? Hardly. You fall head over heels for any pretty brunette within a five mile radius, and we both know it!” Lanah argued back, her patience rapidly wearing thin with each passing second.

Vastra was fully aware that she was having way too much fun torturing her sister like this, but she couldn’t bring herself to stop it quite yet.

Vastra rolled her eyes and drained another glass of whiskey, before responding with,”Ah, but you are speaking of when I was young and impressionable. Now that I’m older and wiser, I have developed a more refined palate, for your information.”

“Oh, _come on_ ! You are such a shoddy liar! I mean, John can lie, but honestly I’d rather believe him than you about this, because I _know_ he is not lying. I can’t believe you won’t tell your own _sister_ about something as important as this!” Lanah ranted, angry that her sister was withholding information from her, and doing all she could to guilt trip her into giving up the truth.

Startled by Lanah’s abrasive tone, Vastra silently stared down at her empty glass as she contemplated her next course of action, before finally deciding to spill the tea.

“Alright, fine….you’ve caught me!” Confessed a defeated Vastra, who had to inhale and exhale a deep breath. “You are completely one-hundred percent correct, I did have a date tonight. Her name is Jenny and she is indeed the girl that’s in the photo,” spoke Vastra calmly while a small, indulgent smile formed on her face at remembering Jenny. “I met her during work at the clinic. We had dinner together at the Rosekettle, and it was…...absolutely _magical_. And that’s all the detail you’re getting, because my lips are hereby sealed!”

 

Vastra really wished that she could just pour her whole heart out to her sister right there, but something inside of her was holding her back. Granted, Vastra had never been particularly the best at opening up and discussing her emotions with people, as she fancied herself to be an impregnable fortress of solitude. That was far from the actual case, however, and Lanah was one of the few exceptions to that rule; Vastra had always been especially close to her older sister ever since they were wee young children, and she would often confide her secrets to her, regardless that it gave Lanah an extra edge for blackmailing.The two of them have been through everything together, both the good and the bad times, including the tragic death of their father which had shook the entire family to their very core. Vastra had also not forgotten how quickly Lanah had rushed down to London when she retreated into the seclusion of her home, and refused to see anyone else after a terribly fatal accident that killed her girlfriend. The point is that even though they have their differences and drive each other crazy sometimes like any regular siblings, the special bond that exist between Vastra and her sister will still remain intact no matter what happens. Whether she was feeling happy or sad, triumphant or failure, healthy or sick, Lanah was there for all of them and Vastra will forever be eternally grateful towards her. Therefore, it should be easy for her to tell Lanah about her date with Jenny that evening, but her own doubts and insecurities were making it impossible. Vastra had been harboring a broken heart for so long, that it honestly frightened her when she suddenly started to develop a romantic attraction to Jenny. She was simply unable to comprehend the idea that  there was someone who could repair the damage in her soul, and provide her with the love that she has lost. Haunted by her past experiences, Vastra was not as bold and fearless as she used to be, but instead was constantly tiptoeing on eggshells in order to avoid getting hurt again. Half of Vastra was open to Jenny and wanted to at least try forming a meaningful relationship, while the rest of her preferred to practice extreme caution by maintaining a considerably safe amount of distance. Although their first date had went exceptionally well, Vastra was afraid that she might jinx things in the future if she talk about it with Lanah when it’s still too soon. So knowing that Lanah will be rather vexed with her at the moment, Vastra made a mental vow to inform her of everything once she is more certain about her chances with Jenny.

 

“What, no details? Seriously, after all I had to go through just to get you to stop lying!” Lanah exclaimed, in her head silently deciding to back off. She had gotten her sister to tell the truth, and pushed her just about as far as she would go regarding the brunette she’d been on a date with. Lanah wasn't cruel, she knew when enough was enough. “Ugh, fine. Do as you wish, Extra. I understand. Its ok. The details will come sooner or later, I am sure. I just have to be patient.”

“As if you were ever good at that,” teased Vastra, utterly relieved that Lanah was dropping the subject of her date with Jenny. Lanah was not the type to forcefully push through boundaries, and she was grateful for it. Finally able to breathe again, Vastra allowed herself to relax in her chair as she said, “Thank you, by the way…..it’s still not easy after all these years…..but I feel much better now. Thank you, Lanah.”

“Just looking out for my little sister. Don’t have too many, got to look after the few that I do have. But I hope you know I’ll be expecting the whole story, someday. I won’t forget about it, Extra.” Lana warned kindly. She wasn’t going to push it, but neither was she going to let it go entirely, forever.

Vastra chuckled at the classic inside joke that Lanah implied and fondly spoke, “Well for what it’s worth, I’d say that you are  doing a very fine job of that, _sister_.” A philosophical  mood suddenly befell on Vastra as she soberly inquired, “Lanah, do you think that it’s possible for the universe to make bargains…..and that people can get second chances?”

“Oh, come on, Vastra. I know you’re referring to _Her-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named_ , and you _know_ what I think about all that. There is nothing I can say that I haven’t told your thick head a thousand times already.” Lanah sighed, wishing Vastra wouldn’t go down that road again. The loss of her girlfriend had hit Vastra hard, and she really did not believe that her sister gained anything by revisiting those memories.

“Hey, I did tell you about my date, so the least you can do is give me an honest answer on this,”Vastra laughed barkingly and without real humor, before suddenly lowering her voice to a soft whisper, “ _Please_ , Lanah….I _need_ you right now. I really like this girl and I don’t know what to do.”

Unshed tears pricked at Vastra’s eyes as the muscles around her throat became taut with choking emotions. Vastra had never felt more vulnerable and exposed since she was a little girl, but her sister Lanah seemed to always have that kind of effect on her. Despite the older they grow, or the longer the distance between them, they still desperately needed each other in their lives.

Lana sigh again. She could _feel_ the desperation in Vastra’s voice, and she knew her sister was serious this time. Now wasn’t the time for snide comments, only solid; sisterly advice. “Keep seeing her. You say that you really like this girl, so the best thing you can do is to keep on trying. Take care of her, date her, whatever you want to do. As long as it make you happy, _do it_. It doesn’t matter if you’re scared, and I understand that you are, you just need to keep on doing what feels right. Okay?”

Vastra exhaled a shuddering breath and solemnly closed her eyes in an attempt to recompose herself. Eventually, she was able to produce a small bittersweet smile, and said,”Thank you, Lanah….as always, I am truly grateful for your wise and invaluable counsel. I shall try to remember it  the next time I talk with Jenny.” A sudden thought then occurred to Vastra in that moment, prompting her to add,”However, I will request that you to do me a favor and keep this just between the two of us. I don’t think I can handle having the entire family hounding me about Jenny, if the word gets out.”

 

There were absolutely no doubts in Vastra’s mind that all of her other five siblings would be onto her like a pack of hungry wolves, if they ever catch wind of her newfound liaison with Jenny. That was simply how they always were, whenever there was an update in Vastra’s love life. It was a goddamn miracle that she hasn’t died yet from sheer embarrassment, because of their crazy and stupid antics! Vastra’s mother, though, was a completely different story as she had never smothered Vastra with intrusive questions about her romantic partners. She knew that her daughter would come to her when she’s ready, and when she does her arms will be open to receive her in a supportive embrace. Nonetheless, a part of Vastra was still looking forward to the day that she can introduce Jenny to each of them and have her fully accepted into their large, dysfunctional Scottish clan.

For a moment, Lanah is very quiet, and Vastra almost fears she is going to tell her she had already told their family. But then, she speaks. “Fine. I won’t tell anyone unless you want me to. I may like to tease you, but I’m not _cruel_.” From Lanah’s side of the phone, a sudden scream can be heard, and Lanah swears. “Billy woke up! Sorry, Extra, I got to go. Talk some other time.”

The line went dead in an instant and Vastra was left alone with her own devices, once again.

“Yes, talk to you some other time,” echoed Vastra to nobody in particular, already missing her sister’s company.

She immediately became aware of the unshed tears threatening to spill over onto her face, and hastily wiped them away with her hand. _Damn that Lanah_ , always putting a cramp in her carefully crafted cold and stoic style by tricking her into expressing emotions without even being here! She had a bloody tough reputation to maintain, and should really have better self-control than this.

Vastra sat up taller in her chair, stretching her neck side-to-side to get rid of the slightly aching creak in her muscles. A genuine and audible yawn escaped from her mouth as she checked the time on her phone( _10:35 PM)_ , before tucking it away into her pocket. She then reached for the scotch bottle and poured out one last drink into her small glass. Vastra took the glass full of scotch in her hand and got up from her seat to begin walking toward a door located across the kitchen. Opening the door, Vastra stepped past the threshold into the enclosed backyard of her home, and uplifted her face to the night sky. She was promptly greeted by the dazzling sight of hundreds of brilliantly twinkling stars all scattered upon the dark surface of the heavens high above. Also present among them was the moon, glowing white like a lantern and starting to wane a bit. Stargazing was a favorite pastime of Vastra’s, and she was glad that tonight’s conditions were clear enough to make observation possible. There was a light, chilly breeze blowing through the atmosphere, but Vastra didn’t care as she deeply inhaled some fresh air into her system. She remained standing in that spot, casually sipping her scotch and continuing to marvel at the beautiful display of celestial arrangements overhead. She was completely at peace in that moment, without John, or Clara, or clients, or Bill, or rats, or family members, or anything to worry about. The only person stuck on her mind was a girl who shone so brightly and radiantly, that she could rival the stars themselves.

 

As if somehow summoned by her thoughts, a loud _ding_ was emitted by Vastra’s phone and she quickly pulled it out to see a text message from none other than Jenny.

 

_I had a lovely time tonight! Look forward to seeing you again, but until then, Greeny and I wish you sweet dreams and a good night's sleep. :)_

// Jenny Flint

 

Reading that message had Vastra smiling like a lovestruck fool as she eagerly typed a response and sent it to Jenny.

 

_I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed our dinner together. Hopefully we won’t have to wait that long until our next engagement. Goodnight and sweet dreams xo_

//Vastra McIntosh

 

The smile remained plastered on Vastra’s face as she continued to stare at Jenny’s text, still not believing how incredibly lucky she was to have met her. The voice of Lana's advice from earlier reverberated in Vastra’s ears, instantly chasing away all her inner doubts and fears. No matter how hard or painful it is, Vastra must not succumb to the crippling shackles of past tragedies and let it prevent her from pursuing a seemingly promising relationship with Jenny. Something beautiful was undoubtedly blossoming between the two of them, and Vastra was determined to fight for it at any cost, even if it meant confronting the demons that she kept locked inside of her. She decided on that night, that she was absolutely done with being afraid, with second guessing herself, and running from her true feelings; The heavy burden of sorrow and grief that she carried in her heart was lifted, leaving it as light and free as a feather after so many years. Jenny was worth everything that she possessed, a precious jewel among common stone that she will never let go of now that she found her. Being around Jenny have awoken a newfound sensation of utterly rapturous joy unlike anything Vastra had experienced before, but most importantly she also gave her the courage to _hope_ again. Indeed, for once in her life, Vastra was able to look beyond her bitterly pragmatic mindset regarding the nature of love and adopted a more optimistic attitude. Vastra abruptly raised her head up towards the sky, where the stars seemed to shine brighter as if to show their approval of her romantic cause. They signaled a new beginning of happiness that was waiting for her on the horizon, and she was ready to do whatever it takes to get there with Jenny. Whether it was luck, fate, or random chance, Vastra had faith that the forces of the universe would guide her along the right path, wherever it may lead to in the future.

  
  
  


 


End file.
